Word Origin & History

1530s, "corner, angle," from Middle French canton "piece, portion of a country" (13c.), from Italian (Lombard dialect) cantone "region," especially in the mountains, augmentative of Latin canto "section of a country," literally "corner" (see cant (n.2)). Originally in English a term in heraldry and flag descriptions; applied to the sovereign states of the Swiss republic from 1610s. Related: Cantoned.

Example Sentences for canton

I now got my wages for the Canton voyage; but they lasted me only a fortnight!

On her arrival at Canton, I told the captain my views, and he allowed me to go.

We arrived at Canton in due time, and found our cargo ready for us.

The largest is that at Honan, the southern suburb of Canton.

In the Novouzensky canton, for example, they constituted 40 per cent.

Each chief town of a canton has its cur, each parish its desservant.

So Canton never get any teaching, not from boy, not from Kong-foo-too.

Consider the men who carried me in my sedan chair in Canton.

In the Canton of Vauvert, where there was a consistory church, 80,000 francs were extorted.

He had been for many years a partner in an English house in Canton, and also lived in England.